Review: Brooklyn’s BounceU

We checked out BounceU with some friends a few days before poor Magnolia fractured her left hand. We won’t be bouncing again for a while, unfortunately, but here’s what we found.

What it is:

A big indoor play space with bouncy structures a go-go. The place is popular for birthday parties and they also have camps and toddler play times, so you have to reserve a spot (and pay for it in advance, $15 a kid) to attend an Open Bounce session. Call on Thursday or Friday to see what times will be for the upcoming weekend, as they change around the party sked.

The bounce session lasts an hour and 15 minutes and kids are transitioned from one room to a second about halfway through (the two rooms have different play equipment, so the diversions are all new when the kids move.) It’s well-organized and there’s lots of BouncU staff on hand to make sure equipment doesn’t get too crowded and that no one’s playing too rough.

Kids can bounce in a big castle, shoot hoops, navigate obstacle courses, climb a tall tower, or — the number one draw for our crew that day — shoot down a giant bouncy slide (it really is impressively tall.)

Where it is:

Dyker Heights, a neighborhood you’ll probably only venture to to visit this place or check out the over-the-top Christmas lights at the holidays.

BounceU is at 6722 Forth Hamilton Parkway (between 67th Street and Ovington Avenue), on the second floor. Entrance is on 67th Street and 9th Avenue.

What we thought of the place:

It was cold and drizzly outside while we were inside: the kids left sweaty, exhausted, and asking when we could come back. ‘Nuff said.

Special bonus:

We got soft and sweet Chinese pastries for the kids and pillow-y barbecue pork buns for ourselves at nearby Maple Leaf Bakery, just a block away from the entrance to BounceU.

Why there are no photos of my adorable children and their friends in this post:

1) Because all photos taken were an unrecognizable blurry mess of forms whizzing down slides. 2) Because I’ve already posted a photo of an unrecognizable blurry form on a bouncy slide (Jasper at The Bell House.)